Annoying client keeps calling up to complain about poor service?

She keeps b*tching about us "treating her poorly", saying things like, "do you people think you're so high and mighty that you only deign yourselves to deal with big companies?" and "is my business not good enough for you people?"

We're an insurance Broker, my company bought

She keeps b*tching about us "treating her poorly", saying things like, "do you people think you're so high and mighty that you only deign yourselves to deal with big companies?" and "is my business not good enough for you people?"

We're an insurance Broker, my company bought out another Broker company mid LAST YEAR, we told all the clients from the second company WELL IN ADVANCE that this was happening. And yet this pain in the a*s is trying to tell us that we never told her anything about this happening. We DID tell her, we still have the email we sent out to the clients.

Her policy was cancelled by the insurance company because she didn't pay her bill. So today she calls up again and demands to speak with her Broker, who has been on Leave for a few months because he's retiring. We're only telling the clients that he's away at the moment. But this lady won't speak to anyone else, not even "Jim", who has been handling this lady's account.

She won't pay her bill and she won't stop calling or demanding to speak with her original Broker "Paul". I'm kind of at a loss of what to do here
I've been telling clients that "Paul" is on leave because that is what I've been told to tell clients for the time being. The Managing Director told me to say this to clients, so I have been. Though I have also told them that he won't be back for the foreseeable future.

Best Answer:

Doug Freyburger: Email lesson – Experienced folks use receive receipt and read receipt settings on their email messages. Then you have on file when a message was received and when it was read. The errant client gets sent a printed copy on paper along with the written notice of termination. If you did not use these settings in the past, you now use them going forward.

Client issue – A tiny percentage of customers are simply not worth the hassle of dealing with them. It's up to the management of your company where to draw the line but cutting contact with one former customer will likely both make your work day better AND save your company money.

Other answer:

Doug Freyburger:
Sounds to me like your broker office (like most) sucks. Be better to your customers and don't talk about them online.

kat:
Tell her that if she calls again you will take the matter further as she is harassing you

Linda R:
Just tell her 'Jim doesn't work here anymore and how can I help you?'
People need to remember, NOT everyone has email. You should have sent her a letter.

tro:
if she won't pay the premiums even Jim can't help her, he just sells her the insurance, the company he sold her takes care of everything after the sale
don't fret over this one miscreant, you won't miss her business

Casey Y:
Don't be deceptive, tell her that her "broker" will not be back in the foreseeable future and that she would need to speak with someone else.

If she demands to speak with her original broker, all you can say is that he is and will be unavailable.

StephenWeinstein:
Get a phone that tells you who is calling before you answer and don't answer any more of her calls.

babyboomer1001:
Tell her she is NOT a customer and that her policy was cancelled mid-last year for non-payment and that if she calls you again, you will have the police knock on her door and charge her with harassment. Then hang up on her and block her number. If you cannot block her number, get caller ID and when you recognize the number as hers (or you have saved it as her), pick up the line and hang it up immediately without saying anything. After so many times, she will give up and, if she continues to call, file a report on her with the police, stating the numerous dates and times she has called harassing you.

Lolly:
Jim has to handle this one. Some customers have to be escalated to management. If she won't be transferred, someone has to explain that she needs to stop calling, as she is not cooperating in order to get a resolution.

Judy:
Tell her Paul is not available and won't be in the near future, and if she won't speak with someone else, you can't help her.